Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators ^ 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
44,377 
30,961 
11,467 
1,949 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
33,045 
27,728 
4,042 
1,275 
Spouse of principal operator 
546 
(X) 
535 
11 
Female 
11,332 
3,233 
7,425 
674 
Spouse of principal operator 
7,046 
(X) 
6,818 
228 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
23,761 
17,509 
5,308 
944 
Other 
20,616 
13,452 
6,159 
1,005 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
28,709 
19,918 
7,825 
966 
Not on farm operated 
15,668 
1 1 ,043 
3,642 
983 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
19,660 
14,496 
4,345 
819 
Any 
24,717 
16,465 
7,122 
1,130 
1 to 49 days 
3,885 
2,548 
1,096 
241 
50 to 99 days 
1,903 
1,233 
570 
100 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
3,736 
2,418 
1,160 
158 
200 days or more 
15,193 
10,266 
4,296 
631 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
1,555 
850 
492 
213 
3 or 4 years 
1,936 
1,197 
601 
138 
5 to 9 years 
5,430 
3,241 
1,749 
440 
1 0 years or more 
35,456 
25,673 
8,625 
1,158 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
1,154 
605 
393 
156 
3 or 4 years 
1,601 
959 
507 
135 
5 to 9 years 
4,873 
2,868 
1,589 
416 
1 0 years or more 
36,749 
26,529 
8,978 
1,242 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
746 
330 
227 
189 
25 to 34 years 
4,010 
2,432 
1,243 
335 
35 to 44 years 
5,648 
3,572 
1,779 
297 
45 to 54 years 
10,120 
6,603 
3,123 
394 
55 to 64 years 
12,132 
8,626 
3,098 
408 
65 to 74 years 
7,069 
5,438 
1,422 
209 
75 years and over 
4,652 
3,960 
575 
117 
Average age 
55.3 
57.0 
51.9 
47.6 
Number of persons living in household 
92,443 
77,738 
11,141 
3,564 
^ Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
North Dakota 41 
